This invention is directed to polycarbosilanes, and to polymers in which silicon atoms are linked through substituted alkylene bridges. The substituted polysilalkylenes are polydisilacyclobutanes with two different silacyclobutane units.
The literature makes reference to processes using halosilanes containing a single unsaturated linkage. See for example, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., Volume 558, pages 55-86, (1988); Chem. Ber., Volume 126, pages 575-580, (1993); and J. Prakt. Chem., Volume 337, pages 79-92, (1995).
By using halosilanes containing two unsaturated linkages, as exemplified in Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, Volume 377, pages 175-195, (1989), we are enabled to produce higher molecular weight materials, i.e., polymers.
While one co-inventor herein has co-authored a recent article relative to certain silacyclobutanes, the article does not describe polymers which replicate the polymer described herein. In particular, reference may be had to Chem. Eur. J., Volume 3, Issue 6, "Towards 2-Silaallenes: Synthesis of Spirocyclic Precursors", pages 948-957, (Jun. 4, 1997).